Tokyo authorizes second shipment of materials under export restriction

The Japanese government has authorized a second shipment of an industrial material under its export restrictions to South Korea, informed sources said Monday.According to industry and government sources here, Tokyo has recently approved a request from a local manufacturer to export photoresist to South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics.The shipment will mark the second of its kind since Japan announced tougher restrictions on South Korea-bound shipments of three key materials, including photoresist, at the beginning of last month.The latest batch, if delivered, is said to be six months' worth of supplies for the Korean chipmaker.Still, the sources noted the Japanese move may be aimed at proving that its export curbs on South Korea are not part of what many believe to be its economic retaliation against Seoul by showing that exports to the country will continue, at least for now.Seoul insists Japan's export restrictions have been politically motivated, noting that Tokyo continues to demand the withdrawal of a Supreme Court decision here that ordered a Japanese company to pay compensation to Korean workers forced to provide free labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea."It is good news that (Japan) has again approved outbound shipments (of photoresist), but there are still many concerns because the country has yet to approve a single request for shipments of etching gas," an industry source said, while speaking on condition of anonymity. (Yonhap)

The Japanese government has authorized a second shipment of an industrial material under its export restrictions to South Korea, informed sources said Monday.According to industry and government sources here, Tokyo has recently approved a request from a local manufacturer to export photoresist to South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics.The shipment will mark the second of its kind since Japan announced tougher restrictions on South Korea-bound shipments of three key materials, including photoresist, at the beginning of last month.The latest batch, if delivered, is said to be six months' worth of supplies for the Korean chipmaker.Still, the sources noted the Japanese move may be aimed at proving that its export curbs on South Korea are not part of what many believe to be its economic retaliation against Seoul by showing that exports to the country will continue, at least for now.Seoul insists Japan's export restrictions have been politically motivated, noting that Tokyo continues to demand the withdrawal of a Supreme Court decision here that ordered a Japanese company to pay compensation to Korean workers forced to provide free labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea."It is good news that (Japan) has again approved outbound shipments (of photoresist), but there are still many concerns because the country has yet to approve a single request for shipments of etching gas," an industry source said, while speaking on condition of anonymity. (Yonhap)